Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin
| Carol, Carl, Whoopi, and Robin | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Roger Beatty Harvey Korman |
| Written by | Dick Clair Jim Evering Jenna McMahon Ken Welch Mitzie Welch |
| Produced by | Dick Clair Jenna McMahon Stephanie Sills |
| Starring | Carol Burnett Carl Reiner Whoopi Goldberg Robin Williams |
| Edited by | Tucker Wiard |
| Music by | Peter Matz |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Carsey-Werner Distribution Kalola Productions |
Release date |
|
Running time | 60 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin (also billed as A Carol Burnett Special...Carol, Carl, Whoopi, and Robin) is a
Summary
The hour-long special hosted by Carol Burnett features musical and comedy routines with Carol and guest performers, Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robin Williams. The four comedians, Burnett, Reiner, Goldberg and Williams introduce the show from lecterns in a mock-academic recitative number, called "Laughter," in which they examine laughter's "primary root and cause."
According to the Paley Center for Media, the sketches include the following: "Carol plays a grieving widow who is accosted at her husband's funeral by an obnoxious, loudly dressed man (Williams) who, among other things, asks inappropriate questions about the details of her spouse's death and insists that Carol keen with him; Burnett and Williams repeat the same sketch — but this time Williams unleashes his formidable ad lib gifts; Reiner and Williams have a backstage talk, which leads to a parody of Shakespeare, with Reiner performing as Laurence Olivier performing Shakespeare and Williams riffing on the Bard's characters and speeches; Carol coaxes a self-conscious Goldberg into singing a duet, called "That's a Friend"; Williams portrays an uptight businessman sitting on a park bench who is joined by hipster Goldberg, whose bongo playing brings out his wilder side; Burnett and Goldberg portray mother and daughter in a comic-poignant piece that presents the evolution of their relationship from the daughter's infancy to the mother's old age."[3]
Cast
Production
The special was directed by Roger Beatty and Harvey Korman.
Reception
John O'Connor, television critic for The New York Times praised the special describing it as "For this occasion, the star shares most of the show with her guests. Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams join her for the curtain raiser, a clever musical lecture on laughing, on titters and cackles, on chuckles and chortles, and especially on guffaws." He also added that the special "adds up to an affecting reminder of how one departed television format used to be surprisingly entertaining."[4]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Primetime Emmy Award
|
Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program
|
Robin Williams | Won | [6] |
References
- ^ "A Carol Burnett Special... Carol, Carl, Whoopi & Robin". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ "A Carol Burnett Special: Carol, Carl, Whoopi & Robin (1987)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on May 5, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- The Paley Center for Media. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ O'Connor, John J. (10 February 1987). "TV REVIEW; 'A CAROL BURNETT SPECIAL' ON ABC". The New York Times. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- The Los Angeles Times. 10 February 1987. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ "A Carol Burnett Special: Carol, Carl, Whoopi & Rob". Emmys.com. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
External links
- Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin at IMDb
